Menu Close

Articles on Water infrastructure

Displaying 1 - 20 of 31 articles

Workers attempt to repair a water main break in Jackson, Miss. Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images

The South’s aging water infrastructure is getting pounded by climate change – fixing it is also a struggle

Extreme downpours and droughts, both fueled by rising global temperatures, are taking a toll on water infrastructure. Communities trying to manage the threats face three big challenges.
India’s new water manual aims to establish continuous piped water supply for all Indians moving forward — a goal it is unlikely to achieve. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

India’s new manual for water supply will replicate past failures

Achieving continuous supply requires both a realistic assessment of the situation and a realistic plan to meet the goal. The Government of India’s new initiatives have neither.
Americans have come to expect abundant clean water, but there are many stressors on water quality and availability. Jessica/flickr

Solving water challenges is complex – learn how law, health, climate and Indigenous rights all intersect in developing solutions

A webinar hosted by The Conversation brings together experts in law, health, policy and Indigenous affairs to explain some of the most pressing problems related to water in the US.
Shutterstock/ Nataly Reinch

Why South Africa needs a new water agency

The agency will ensure that large water users such as municipalities, public utilities and large companies continue to fund the construction and operation of the large water systems they depend on.
A tidal drain at South Yarra, Melbourne, in 2008. The installation of litter-trapping equipment now prevents access. Photo: Victoria Kolankiewicz

What lies beneath: tunnels for trafficking, or just a subterranean service? Time to rescue these spaces from the conspiracists

What was once the stuff of urban legends now spreads virally through social media claims the tunnels beneath our cities are used for child trafficking. The truth is both more mundane and important.
The Rim Fire burned 256,000 acres of the Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park in 2013. (USDA Forest Service, Chris Stewart)

Buried in mud: Wildfires threaten North American water supplies

Wildfires reduce the reliability of city water supplies in North America. But active forest management provides a key to the solution.
How long has that water already been in the system? mike.irwin/Shutterstock.com

Water stays in the pipes longer in shrinking cities – a challenge for public health

In many municipalities, aging water infrastructure is serving fewer people than it was built to accommodate. Out of sight has meant out of mind – but resulting changes in water quality may affect safety.
A new report finds concerns about water infrastructure tops the list for Canada’s water providers. (Shutterstock)

Understanding the risks to Canada’s drinking water

World Water Day shines a light on the importance of safe, clean drinking water, but a new report finds Canada’s freshwater systems are under stress.

Top contributors

More